I guess in all stories it is important to start from the beginning, or well the beginning of this specific story. The reason for me blogging today. Last summer we were anxiously awaiting the arrival of our BEST FRIENDS, The Foust family. For any of you who know me personally you know how this family is like our family! 24 hours and counting I received a phone call informing me that they were one the way to the ER with their youngest Jaxon. At the time he was just months old. That call was the beginning of MANY more to come. Their trip to the ER ended up being a flight in a helicopter to the Children’s Hospital in Atlanta with many questions to come. After different diagnostic possibilities dwindled down and a week long stay in the Hospital (also consisting of NO family vacation for the Fousts) they narrowed it down to Langerhan’s Cell Histiocytosis (LCH). Histio…What? I had never heard of it. Apparently not many people have heard of it!

LCH is a disease that can be cured but in some cases can be fatal.  It requires chemotherapy and other various medications.  LCH is a disease where the body has too many histiocytes and they cluster together and form lesions or tumors in various parts of the body.  For Jax it was in his bone marrow, liver, gall bladder, skin, and lymphnodes in his abdomen. In Jaxon’s case we had noticed the disease setting in through a rash, but like any normal parent, Kristen started topical treatments for it, thinking it was nothing. Especially not a disease like LCH. We were all shocked and confused. I was mostly upset that I could not be closer to, well, just be there. So Jaxon began rounds of chemo and steroids to fight this terrible disease. He had to have a port in to help with the chemo and other medicines. Thus the life in the Foust house changed.

As a mom I remember the nights I was up worried because of an ear infection or breathing difficulties with my little ones. Kristen has to deal with so much more than that for her son. She has to watch Jax closely. If he runs a fever he has to go to the ER immediately. Two weeks ago, that meant going 3 times in ONE WEEK. Not only is it stressful transporting him to the ER, almost no one has heard of this disease. They show up at the ER with a print out of what there son has just so that they can receive proper treatment. This can get very frustrating.

This entire past year I have watched Jax’s entire family adapt to his illness. I have see the strength through many many visits to the doctor. I have witnessed the irritability that comes over Jax when he has bad days, and yet nothing keeps this family down. This little fighter continues to boldy take on this disease and through the love of his family he overcomes obstacle after obstacle.

Not long ago it was thought that Jax would be getting a break from chemo. His tests had been looking better and there seemed to be a silver lining beaming through. Then they noticed his rash appear in new spots and his routine testing was moved up to check in on this little man….enter present time, the reason you are not hearing about me, but the reason you are being told of Jaxon.

I got a call from Kristen. I could tell the tone in her voice was weak and she started sobbing. For the first time since Jax’s diagnosis I heard her break down. She questioned her strength as she told me the news that two new lesions were found in Jaxon’s little body. One at the base of his neck and one in his eye bone. Devastating. That silver lining has turned very black. There are so many questions and now possible new forms of treatment as they look for possibly 3 to 4 more years of fighting this disease. The problem is, there are not a lot of answers. There is not a lot of information or funding for this disease. So I ask myself, if this were MY kid what would I want people to do?

I would want people to help me help them . And we can.  On October 8 Kristen will be putting on a fundraiser to raise money for research. Histiocytosis is considered an “orphan” disease and therefore there is no government funding for research. You can help by donating any of the following materials, monetarily, OR both . Here are the ways you can donate. Kristen needs the following items which can be shipped directly to her:

- Embroidery thread (She really needs this) for hair wraps..all colors

- Hair paint (the spray on kind)

- Face paint and stencils

Money for items such as popcorn for popper and cotton candy supplies.

If you are in GA on October 8, near Paulding Meadows your family can attend this fund raiser for only 25.00 per family. IF you cannot make it, how cool would it be to send 25.00 in lieu of your family. In this time money is tight. Believe me I know! Remember how you would feel if this was your kid, and you needed help. Wouldn’t a sacrifice be such a sweet gift?

You can send any of these items or your family donation to:

Kristen Foust

415 Hiram Way
Hiram, GA 30141

Make Checks payable to The Histiocytosis Association of America.

or for more information email Kristen at kikifoust@comcast.net.

So this blog isn’t what I planned to start my amazing comeback but it is far more important.

First day of Kindergarten and First Grade

Every year we have been blessed with wonderful teachers. God puts the teachers in our lives, sometimes for only that year, but they have made lasting impacting impressions in our children’s lives. MORE than they will ever know. My daughter still talks about her pre-k teacher, and plans a visit when we return to GA to see her Kindergarten teacher! She loves running into Ms. Schreins classroom to get a big hug (one she misses so much). In fact, just this past year Ms Schrein gave Cayden ALL her little house on the prairie books. She has sparked an interest in our entire family. It is special to me because I grew up reading those books, and of course I lived near Walnut Grove. My kids love them! It’s funny how much one year can make such a difference! Cobe loved his pre-k teacher (Miss Christy-the same that Cayden had). She was influential in Cobe’s little life because he was an attatched little guy. He was fine with just staying home forever! She was his second mom for the year and I love her for that!

Just look at this video from when he was pre-school age.

This year was no exception to the awesomeness of the teachers. Cayden had two amazing teachers and Cobe’s teacher fit him perfectly (although I am sure there are times she wants to strangle his parents ) It’s a known fact that on “meet the teacher day” I do something verbally that will embarrass at least one member of the family! We always leave the classroom and laugh and then I plug my ears telling Tim to stop, while he repeats some of my famous quotes from the previous conversations. Cobe usually says “mo-om” (you know the two syllable mom that is said out of embarrassment or doubt). Cayden just laughs and makes me feel better. This year, meet the teacher was anti-climatic. Instead of getting excited we were leary. We also had just been told that we may not even be moving into the house due to the loan. So we walked in to the school, not knowing (again) where to go, not knowing how the first day of school would go, and not knowing for sure if we were going to even be able to attend this school. After listing off all of Cobe’s issues and getting the look from Tim, I knew Cobe’s teacher was going to be amazing (we are praying for her to have Cayden next year). When we walked into Cayden’s room and met her TWO teachers I was put at ease!

End of the first day at school for second and third grade.

As the year as moved on, I have grown more and more excited about the elementary school my kids are at. We are now at home. Cayden’s teachers have taken her under their wings. They have kept me constantly informed and they have kept a special watch over Cayden. If some kind of conversation takes place that I need to be aware of I am always informed (with Cayden, that can be many). They have shown love, patience, and care for Cayden. In fact when I would ask Cayden who are her friends in school, she wouldn’t name anyone but Ms. Keene and Ms. Myers. When she was sick, one of her teacher’s would drop off her homework…seriously! We have even gotten meals dropped off for Cayden by her teacher when she is sick. I am way too spoiled. And I am sooo sooo thankful!

Cobe’s teacher has been great at exhibiting patience. With ALL of us. She has done a great job at teaching Cobe some organization and encouraging him when he is frustrated. What more can you ask for in a teacher? As I have said before, he is our attatched child. He is the child that every “first day of school” he is on the edge of our bed, fully dressed and with an upset stomach before we even open our eyes. He is the child who gets teary eyed at change, and boy this one has had to deal with quite a bit of it. While Cayden confidently walks into class, Cobe looks back several times over his shoulder. Cobe would have never made it through the year without Ms. Champions understanding and love. Nor would he have let his hair grow as shaggy without her telling him she liked it. He totally trusts her opinion .

And as time continues, my kids continue to grow up. I cannot believe that I have an almost third and fourth grader! I pray that God continues to bless us with great teachers. Thank you to all the educators out there (especially to those who have loved my kids). Each year it seems the government takes more and more from you, yet you continue to give. To Ms. Christy, Ms. Debbie,  Ms. Schrein, Ms. Morrison, Ms. Thompson, Ms. DuPont, Ms. Champion, Ms. Keene, and Ms. Myers, THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart for giving a piece of you to my kids. You are so important to us and such and influential part in creating who my children will become. I love all of you!!!!

I went back in my room and started blow drying my hair and I was immediately reminded how often we run around trying to fix things on our own when life is not running as we feel it should. When we see someone  hurting, we run around frantically first trying to figure out the best way we can deal with the situation. If life  is in a spiraling direction going no where but down, we try all kinds of avenues to make it better.   How often do we run crazy before we stop and turn to God? How many times do we say a quick prayer in the midst of attempting to solve our own problem?  Of course I am not at all suggesting when someone is in need that we just sit and do nothing. It is our responsibility to love on those around us, especially the hurt and oppressed. I also am not suggesting that when troubled times come to be lazy and do nothing because God already has it figured out. I am simply suggesting that we pause for a moment and take time to really focus on asking God for guidance. Not guidance “on the go”. Sometimes we have already done ALL that WE can do, and we need to wait for God to help us get our bearings straight before we can fly off in the right direction. As well, sometimes, it isn’t up to us to fix the problems around us, with our friends, family members, school, etc. Sometimes God just wants us to assist. He already knows what is going to happen. He just needs us there. Not to take it all on. Not to hold the problem together. Just to be a piece of all that he has in works.

Matthew 6:26 says, Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?

This just makes me smile. May God give you the strength and wisdom to know how to handle life’s gifts and unexpected issues. May you learn to pause… and rely on HIS guidance and in that may you find His peace and most of all feel how much the heavenly Father LOVES YOU!

This is the hope I have for me and my family

He asked my permission to use the word “Jerks”, because that is one we aren’t allowed to use here! In this situation I thought it was fitting.

Grant, we so love you! We think you are adorable and we cannot wait to see what you end up as. You should NEVER worry about what others think of you, because you are very cool. One day the fact that you read is going to actually make you lots of money. Most importantly your heart for others is sweet and loving. As long as you keep those things in line God is going to do GREAT things for you. If anything the Grandstaff’s think you are the greatest thing since sliced bread. SO THERE,  kids in Grant’s grade, as my mom used to say “Go suck an egg!” (Okay don’t use that one, because it was not cool then and it will probably never be)!

So we walked all through JoAnne’s while his hands dried with no chance (at the moment) to remove the white paint. I didn’t know whether to tell a clerk something or just deal with it. After all it was pretty amusing, and quite disciplinary. However, as I went up for a price check the clerk assumed I was coming to request help for my son. I just played along, so they wouldn’t think I was a horrible mom. She gave us some Goo Be Gone. That only got half of it off. But after spending 10 minutes in the bathroom I decided to deal with it at home anyway. I did text Tim a picture to remind him of why it sometimes is hard to bring the kids along, and of course to send a subtle hint of how wonderful I am to deal with such issues!

Did I mention we are trying to snag a few family pictures tonight .

Their first date was at Starbucks. What more fitting than to go back and relive some moments, and capture it in photos.

Oh and yes her laughter! AHHHH I love when she laughs.

Cannot wait until September 17th!

So today, there isn’t much going on, but I thought I should blog. When I say there isn’t much, I mean much that I can talk about or that you would care to hear about. The stuff that is causing drama and heart wrenching thoughts is not appropriate to write and everything else seems normal. Although…

Tuesday I moved Cayden’s kitchen out of her room into the garage. It will be an heirloom per her request and saved for her daughter. It will never go into her room for her alone to play on. My mommy heart was just a little sad. AND THEN…

Wednesday I cried as Tim drove the kids to school. I had a baby in my arms (little Emma Myers-whom I keep on some Wednesdays) and I cried standing on the side walk. Why? For the first time in my life Cobe hugged me 3 times ALL with his arms around my neck instead of under my arms. UGH! You know those moments that you are suppose to treasure because one day those every day moments are going to end and you won’t be a part of them. THIS was a perfect picture of that. My little man is now tall enough to hug me around my neck. The agony!!!! The pain in my heart! It just seems to be going so fast.

Thursday began wonderful and ended with more drama than I wished to handle and left me wanting to quit everything that we moved here for and move to a resort. I realize this might include me having to do illegal things, and after ALOT of prayer I am still very confident God brought us here for a very specific reason and I am honored to be a part of my destiny, the destiny that God is fulfilling.

Friday I spent the morning with Cayden in her classroom and then had coffee with two of my favorite people. I picked the kids up early and Tim and I decided to get away. So thanks to amazing people we got a deal at a local hotel and it was phenomenal! We laughed and just were able to enjoy each other and our kids. Sometimes when the world seems to crash around us we realize that family is the only constant below God and this is our time to have our family time.

Saturday during our getaway we had to go to Cobes game. He played amazing. His team is horrible. But he is always amazing to me. We went back to the pool and swam and talked and swam and rode the lazy river. Tim and I had some great talks about our future and different possibilities down the road. Some of it was not easy and some was the best news in the world. I really love my husband!

Sunday as always we were a part of something BIG!!! Genesis. Sometimes I get overwhelmed with responsibility. Other times I am scared to death about what will come soon. The thing is, when I see the different faces and the lives that GOD is changing I am reminded this was suppose to happen, and Tim and I are the vessel being used. Awesome! Genesis (in some form or another) would have happened, but I am lucky enough to have been asked to go on this journey. God’s will is always going to be filled, but I have the choice to choose whether or not He can fulfill my destiny.

Monday is never fun, unless there is no school. So in this case, booooooooo Monday! The kids had to return to class and life with reality has begun again!

That is my life for now. Soon I may have something more thought provoking. But now I can say I have blogged in the year 2011!

When we found out we were pregnant with Cobe we had only been married 3 months. I really had no idea I was pregnant, but was late so when I went to get groceries I slipped a pregnancy test in the cart so as to have proof  when Tim asked why I was “late”. Little did I know that the proof would be opposite of what I had hoped or wanted for the time. Tim was not the first to know of my pregnancy. He was at a youth event and he only had a pager. So I called someone who was experienced in taking pregnancy tests, my twin sister Tonee. I asked her what two lines meant and if it could be wrong, or more importantly  how often they are wrong. She informed me it was pretty hard to get a false positive. Then I got a second test and it too was positive. I was pretty sure that I was pregnant. Tim came home not long after. I had been tired, and not feeling the greatest and the night before I had dumped on him this big emotional binge of tears and stories that made no sense. So when I showed him how I had cleaned and done the laundry (those of you who know Tim would understand how much the cleaning was an accomplishment) while crying over the pan of hamburger helper I had so earlier been excited about, he just assumed I was having another melt down. I cried through and mumbled these words.

I took a pregnancy test and it was positive

To which he replied

What?

I seriously don’t think he understood me, but he could have been in slight shock. So I had to repeat the words I had so long dreaded to speak to him. He looked at me and smiled and he said

I am gonna be a daddy!

NOT what I thought he was going to say, but before I had time to think about it, he swooped me into his arms and carried me to the bedroom, and I think he just held me smiling while I cried.  After my second emotional release, I wanted to tell my mom and dad. So we drove late over to there house and sat with them. I think they were in bed watching TV and my little sister was reading at the foot of their bed. We came up with a creative way to mention that they were having another grandkid. They were so thrilled. It was bitter sweet, since at this time they knew that yet another grandkid would grow up away from them, since we had recently made the decision to move to GA. Cobe’s pregnancy was pretty normal. We moved when I was nearly 6 months pregnant and a few weeks before had learned that we were having a son. All four grandparents were in the room when we found out what we would be having, and the men cheered while the women sulked. I had thoughts flooding my mind how I was going to raise a boy…mostly at first dealing with how diaper changes, to teaching him how to pee in the toilette and aim right because there is no way I am spending a lifetime cleaning that up (so far we’ve done good!), and now most recently wondering how I can raise a man to love God and how I can protect his head and heart from all this world throws at him.  I had so wanted to be the first to have a daughter, but it was not my time. That day we went and got Cobe his first Jordan’s and I could see that my husband was going to have his dream child.

Shortly after Cobe arrived. Very long and tearful day!

Cobe was born in August. There was no family there. He came two weeks early. His arrival was scary. His heart rate was dropping and I had to be rushed for an emergency c-section, to which Tim was convinced someone was dying. I don’t remember holding Cobe for the first time but I remember being so thankful that he was okay. I remember when Tim’s parents got to the hospital after his arrival they asked if the birthing experience was everything I dreamed of, and I was for sure it wasn’t. I guess his arrival was a precursor to his life. Full of eventful moments where I would have to be constantly reminded that this child was not my own but God’s and He was the one that was going to protect him through the obstacles we faced with Cobe. The problems were too big for us alone.

First Christmas!

Cobe was sick when he was little. Whenever we traveled we ended up in the emergency room. He was a big boy with a big head, and I was told thankfully for that reason he was not going to be admitted to the hospital when he was diagnosed with a serious case of RSV.  When he was almost one we realized he had an eye condition. When he was a little over 1 he was sent into surgery for tubes (what an amazing relief for him). When he was almost two we realized he was deaf in one ear, and when he was almost two and a half he had many tests to declare that he had a serious case of Acid Reflux. Often it was hard to tell how sick he was because he just was always content.

At youth camp. No bathtubs, so we turned his toy tub into one and he loved it!

Throughout Cobe’s life he has been his daddy’s joy and his mommy’s love…and his sister’s protector! He was only 6 weeks old when he sat perfectly still and quiet and ALERT in Tim’s arms watching his first Laker’s game. His first word was ball and to his daddy and Boppa’s joy  he has ALWAYS wanted to play basketball. As soon as he could reach my hair he started to play with it during bottle feedings and to this day if he is tired he will reach for my hair. He was a late bloomer on a lot of things, mostly because of his large head and his ear problems. He was not independent and is still not, always needing to be rocked to sleep and would ALWAYS fall asleep when I sang “Baby Mine” from Dumbo. He loved Elephants and Giraffe’s. I lost him at the zoo before he turned 2 because when I turned my head he took off.  I frantically ran all through the zoo searching for him to find him sitting there watching what he called “Fee’s”, but only those close to him knew he was referring to elephants. We could have sat there all day.

Meeting Cayden for the first time.

When he saw Cayden for the first time, he kissed her and referred to her for the next two years as bee-bee (baby) and he has always loved and protected her. He held her hand the entire ride  from her homecoming from the hospital while falling asleep so excited that there was going to be someone else sitting with him for the rest of his childhood in the back seat. One day I brought her to his Sunday School class for some of the kids to meet and hold her and he sat there for a good 10 minutes holding her refusing to let anyone but him have that experience. When he needed to he stuck up for her and when any boy would try to kiss her he would tell them

…If you don’t stop I am going to punch you in the face

Cobe is a loyal friend and considers his very best friend to be Jaron Cole who he met when he was only 1 week old and Jaron just a couple of hours old. He gets attatched to people who are important to him, that is why when I picked him up from Jaron’s house a few weeks back he cried and said

I am sure going to miss Jaron. No one else is just like Jaron

Jaron and Cobe. Notice the head size.

Tim once told me that I am a good friend because I make people feel important. Cobe is just like that. He finds what is important to you and makes sure you know about it whenever it is around.

Crazy hair day!!!!! With Jaron of course.

He values tradition and is the first to get excited about a Christmas song or decorations in the store. He is always 100 percent by my side on wanting to drag the Christmas stuff out early or the one to see the many traditions I have set unfold.

Today Cobe is still so many of those things that he has always been. Sometimes I look at him and think God is going to do something incredible with him, because there are times when he is an old soul in a child’s body and he just sees things that others cannot his age.

He is so much like me. I have to say I love it and hate it. He cares for people and is extra sensitive most of the time. This year Cobe has really started to grow up. He is starting to slightly test me again. He still loves basketball (I mean really LOVES basketball). He is finally making some new friends that he will probably have for life. He is a pleaser and hates to disappoint. He sometimes gives up when he feels like he fails or is not good enough. He can drive me absolutely insane because like me he is forgetful, and unfocused. He has good intentions but sometimes cannot follow through. He gets frustrated when he tries to be understood, but everyone thinks he is arguing. He says quotes that I said when I was little and in him sometimes I see me so much. Sometimes I feel bad for him . He hates HATES HATES writing scentences and it is close to death for him when you tell him he cannot play video games. For the first time he found a friend who is a girl, who is a little more important than a friend and I am DYING. He blushes when I say her name and he picked one of the prettiest girls in the class with soft hair (an important quality because he says his wife will have hair he can play with like mine  and says he is pretty sure he won’t marry a girl with a ‘weave’:). He gets a little embarrassed of me, but he still kisses me in public. He loves his teacher! He thinks she really understands him and he is pretty sure he knows who is going to get married to each other in his class. He annoys me when he has a thought and he really wants to put it to action because sometimes it just is not going to happen but like me he is a dreamer. He has great trust for us and I can see him taking on responsibility to protect his mind for his future because he wants to grow up and be just like his daddy, a good man, father, husband, and a “good basketball player”(this is because Tim told  him he probably could have made the NBA had he not met me-hahaha). He is not afraid to have his own style, and he is convinced it is cool to wear a fedora hat. He loves Michael Jackson and tries to dance like him. He really thinks he will be famous one day and he doesn’t know what he wants to do if basketball doesn’t pan out .

When I look at Cobe’s life in 9 years I am overwhelmed. I cannot believe that I was chosen to love him and raise him. This little boy that I once rocked and still sing too is growing up into a mini man! He is almost as tall as me. It just seems like I have blinked and there he was almost staring at me in the face. Where did this time go?

One year old at Walmart

I guess this has ended up being my Ode to Cobe. I don’t often write of him, but maybe because he doesn’t always have one moment that defines him, but several little moments that make him special. He is just Cobe, simple not always complicated, but so very special.

This didn’t happen once. It didn’t happen twice. Three times she crumbled to the thought of  failure. I don’t know exactly what was going on in her mind. Tim and I many times assured her that it would be okay, but it didn’t seem to matter, because on Monday she would have to walk back into school and admit that her paper was not going to be found. For some reason at this time, the thought of this was unbearable.

During melt down number 2, Tim scooped her up and asked her what would make things better. She asked him if he could go and talk to her teacher. (Now let me explain that her teachers are both wonderful, and I know they would not want Cayden to be in such distress). Tim told Cayden he would walk her in on Monday morning and talk with her teacher.

Well the next day (Sunday) while getting ready for school meltdown 3 started to begin. When she started this time I sat next to her on the couch and I said

“Cayden, why are you worried?”

She replied sobbing uncontrollably

“I am so worried that I’ll have to move my monkey!”

Can you understand how hard it is to keep a straight face? I wiped a few tears and said

“Look at me. Did you ask daddy to handle it?”

She shook her head. I then said,

“You don’t have to worry anymore Cayden. You gave it to daddy. Let daddy take it. That is the beauty of it. It’s our job to take things for you when you cannot handle them. You don’t have to worry.”

Then Tim chimed in

“Do you trust me?”

Cayden smiled while she sniffled.

“Yes daddy”

“Then let me deal with it. It isn’t yours to take anymore. If you keep crying though, I am going to know you don’t trust me and then I can’t do what I need to do.”

Cayden’s tears dried up only instantly. The next morning Tim walked her into class and talked with her teacher. She was completely understanding (we love her!).  Problem solved. Problem will hopefully never happen again , but problem is solved.

Later that evening I tried to tell Tim what a good analogy that would be. He laughed and said

“What about you? Do you follow that analogy”

I smiled because it was true. The past few weeks had not been easy. I started to worry about different things. I definitely was not letting my daddy take it. Why is it that we try to take things on our own when things get difficult. It’s in these times that we need to rely on God our Father’s strength more. It was pretty funny and I had to replay the words of advice I had given to Cayden, back in my head.

1 Peter 5:7 says

“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”

What a relief that when life gets to be too much we can let our daddy take it. I don’t know about you, I feel like I can breathe easier just knowing that.

I decided to document my kids. I wanted to not only capture them in pictures, but capture their way of thinking, because oh how quickly it will change. So I started asking questions and this is what I got in return:

Me: “How old are you?”

Cobe: “Eight…almost nine”

Cayden “Seven…just turned seven”

Me: “What do you want to be when you grow up?”

Cobe: “A basketball star.”

Cayden: “A teacher.”

Me: “Who do you want to be like when you grow up?”

Cobe: “Like Dad. He jumped really high when he was in high school…or middle school…or dad when did you jump high?”

Cayden: “Beautiful like you mommy. I want to have curly hair and I want to have sparkly dresses like you too.”

Me: “Do you want to have kids?”

Cobe: “Yes. Two or Three. One boy, a girl and then a boy.”

Cayden: “Yes. Twelve. Seven girls and seven boys”

Me: “What kind of person do you want to marry?”

Cobe: “I have no clue! I hope she doesn’t smoke. And she has to love God. I hope the girls hair doesn’t feel like straw. I want her to have fun with me.”

Cayden: “I want my man to be like daddy and love God. I want him to have hair like Jose’s…or probably I won’t marry a guy, I’ll just adopt kids.”

Me: “When you grow up what kind of house do you want to live in?”

Cobe: “A mansion if I have enough money.”

Cayden: “I was gonna say that!” (crossing arms)

Cobe: “Or a nice house.”

Cayden: “I wanna live close to you mommy.”

Cobe: “That probably won’t happen to me…UNLESS I get drafted by the Magic or Miami Heat.”

Cayden: “There are four options for me. Live on the Disney Cruise, mansion, hotel or next to you.”

Me: “What about Christmas? How are you going to celebrate it?”

Cobe: “It’s gonna be hard, but I’m gonna set my whole mansion with lights.”

Cayden: “Call me when you go to Gigi’s and Grandad’s cause I’m going with you!”

Cobe: “…And I am gonna set it up in November mommy, just like you!”

Cayden: “…I will decorate it, no I am not going to, I am gonna bring my family to celebrate it with you!”

Cobe: “But what if I get drafted to L.A. or somewhere like that? hmmm….I’ll get a private jet.”

Cayden: “I’ll come visit you Cobe!”

Me: “When you become a daddy or mommy, what kind of rules will you set or keep, or do differently?”

Cobe: “I don’t know…It depends if they’re really crazy my first rule is gonna be, I’ll let them do their homework first before playing. I’m gonna have a fun backyard with a trampoline, bungee cord, a park and a dog!”

Cayden: “Well I’m gonna let my kids jump on our bed! I am gonna let them play for an hour before they do homework!”

Cobe: “You’re gonna be a fun mom Cayden!”

Cayden: “When they finish their homework, they can do WHATEVER they want except destroy the house! We’ll come over Tuesday nights mom if your not doing anything and have a family night…OR if you are doing stuff we’ll have our own family night!”

Cobe: “I’ll let my kids watch movies on trips.”

Cayden: “I’ll be a nice mom with a big heart!…AND when we drive somewhere all the kids that get sick while driving get to sit in the middle and the others have to sit in the back.

Cobe: “My kids will get to stay up and play but not too late!”

Me: “Will you have pets?”

Cayden: “Yes. Dogs, fish, turtles, excepts land turtles…”

Cobe: “I won’t let them have snakes!”

Cayden: “NO! NO! NO! NO SNAKES!. I will let them have bunny rabbits, I would get a cat if you weren’t allergic mom. And I will let them have a pet monkey!

Cobe: “That’s gonna be hard to train!…Turtle, dog, and lizard!”

Cayden: “Yeah and Lizards! A frog if they want one!

Cobe: “I will probably let them get a monkey…cause I want to be like MJ! But Cayden you’re gonna be a fun mom!”

Cayden: “Yeah, my kids are gonna love me!

Me: “Do you want your kids to love God?”

Cobe: “YES!”

Cayden: “YES!”

Me: “How will you teach them to Love God?

Cayden: “Bring them to your church daddy. Bible verses and Bible stories EVERY NIGHT”

Cobe: “We might be out late some nights.”

Cayden: “Get them a babysitter!”

Cobe: “I’m not gonna get them a babysitter!”

Cayden: “I’ll be your babysitter!”

Cobe: “Cayden I am older than you you CANNOT be my babysitter!”

Cayden: “Not YOUR babysitter Cobe, your kids babysitter!”

Cobe: “Well I might be in a different country if I play basketball.”

Me: “What kind of clothes are you going to wear?”

Cobe: “Not collared shirts!”

Cayden: “Pretty dresses. Pretty shoes. Pretty shirts. Pretty skirts…”

Cobe: “You’re gonna NEED to live in a mansion. I’ll help you move cause I am gonna make more money than you!”

Me:  “What are you going to do if you have a lot of money?”

Cobe: “Buy Cayden and you a house and give my one kid a space room.”

Cayden: “I want to build a rollercoaster in my backyard”

Cobe: “I’m gonna build a park like MJ!”

So only if I enjoy this, it is at least a glimpse into my conversations with my kids.  For this one moment, I have it captured!